Outlook
In regards to the new cannabis dispensary
From BlakeMackey <[email protected]>
Date Wed 2/4/2026 1:22 PM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Dear town council,
I am writing today in support of allowing in-person recreational shopping at the new dispensary on SFD. For years, I have shopped at the Marin alliance and not once have I needed a medical card. I was disappointed to learn that I will not be allowed to shop at my new local dispensary due to the medical only restrictions for in person shopping.. I don't use delivery services, so now I will have to drive out of town to cotati and beyond instead of purchasing locally as I always have.
I really hope that you will vote to allow in person recreational sales. Many more locals like myself will be able to shop there and I believe that would give the business a good chance at succeeding.
Thank you,
Blake M. on Broadway blvd.
415-250-3721
Outlook
61 Bolinas - No to MAMM in Buffer zone
From Bridget Clark <[email protected]>
Date Wed 2/4/2026 2:43 PM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Hi,
I am writing to you to please consider adhering to the buffer zones that were created after years of meetings that a large part of the community attended (including doctors) who voiced their concerns. 61 Bolinas is in the center of town near where kids go to the Pavillion, play at the park and roam around.
There is a plethora of evidence that having a store front leads to normalizing use for youth. Although the cannabis industry will claim kids don’t have access, we have seen locally how kids easily obtain it with a medical card and share products with one another. Recreational and medical access is readily available for delivery for anyone who really wants or needs it.
We don’t need any more special privileges given to Lynette Shaw. She clearly has had the influence of some leaders to allow her special treatment over the years. Local lobbying? The community spoke loud and clear years ago and we expect the town to hold up to what was decided after years of deliberations on the cannabis ordinance and buffer zones.
And as the town attorney mentioned in a previous meeting, perhaps you could also consider local cannabis safety regulations. It seems like it would be appropriate to regulate potency levels for public health and safety reasons. Even Matthew McConaughey stated he quit using cannabis as the ‘modern weed’ is too strong. Potency levels are so much higher than most of us ever used when we grew up in Marin.
Thank you for your careful consideration and decision making.
Bridget Clark
Outlook
Medicinal Cannabis Consistent with Evidence-based Recommendations From Elizabeth O <[email protected]>
Date Tue 2/3/2026 1:10 PM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Fairfax Town Council Members,
I am writing on behalf of the volunteer organization, Marin Residents for Public Health Cannabis Policies, to respectfully ask the Council to consider evidence-based medical guidance when evaluating policies related to medicinal cannabis in the Town of Fairfax. Specifically, we suggest limiting the potency of all medicinal cannabis sold to levels consistent with evidencebased recommendations for adult patients, which is ≤10% THC or ≤10 mg Δ9-THC.
Recent clinical evidence, including a comprehensive review published in JAMA (January 2026), highlights the need for clearer limits and guidance regarding what constitutes “medicinal” cannabis.
Notably, medical research emphasizes that cannabis products containing ≥10% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or doses of 10 mg or more of Δ9-THC, are considered high potency. Use of high-potency cannabis is associated with significantly increased risks, including higher rates of psychotic symptoms, generalized anxiety disorder, cannabis use disorder, and cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke.
Given these findings, we respectfully suggest that the Town Council consider limiting the potency of all medicinal cannabis sold in Fairfax—including products offered at La Flor or any other dispensary selling medical cannabis—to levels consistent with evidencebased recommendations for adult patients (≤10% THC or ≤10 mg Δ9-THC). Clear local guidance aligned with established medical evidence would help protect public health while supporting safer, more informed use.
In addition, it is important to recognize that recreational cannabis is already accessible to adult residents of Fairfax through delivery-only options. This carefully constructed policy was developed after many months of public comment and extensive community input. Its primary purpose was to protect youth and minimize unintended public health consequences.
A substantial body of research shows that increased availability of cannabis is associated with increased youth use, and that proximity to physical storefronts plays a meaningful role in shaping youth access and consumption patterns. By limiting recreational cannabis to delivery- only services, Fairfax adopted a thoughtful, prevention-focused approach that balances adult access with the responsibility to safeguard young people.
Under this framework, adults in Fairfax who wish to use cannabis recreationally are still able to do so through home delivery, while brick-and-mortar medicinal dispensaries can remain focused on serving patients with legitimate, evidence-based medical needs. Restricting medicinal storefronts to products aligned with medically supported conditions helps preserve the integrity of medical cannabis, reduces community risk, and maintains consistency with the original intent of Fairfax’s cannabis policies.
This distinction supports both public health and community values: recreational access without storefront exposure, and medicinal access that is grounded in science and patient safety.
We believe Fairfax has an opportunity to lead with a thoughtful, health-focused approach that reflects the best available science.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this important public health matter.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth O’Donnell
Marin Residents for Public Health Cannabis Policies
Founding member
Outlook
2/4/26 Town Council Meeting -
From [email protected] <[email protected]> Date Tue 2/3/2026 1:33 PM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> I understand that the cannabis ordinance in Fairfax still gives the Town Council the authority to “not grant any applications in the interest of the health, safety, or general welfare of the Town.” Regarding Agenda Item #1 at tomorrow’s meeting, I would like to reiterate what I have shared at previous meetings about the harms to youth from retail cannabis stores:
Many do not realize that In California, an 18 year old can get a medical marijuana card online in 10 minutes. I can tell you, without doubt, that a store where 18 year olds can purchase cannabis concentrates is a health and safety risk. A young adult brain is not fully formed until age 25; my own son Trevor died at age 18, due in great part to his cannabis use disorder, diagnosed at age 15.
Additionally, many studies show that retail cannabis storefronts, particularly those with visible signage or located near schools, are linked to increased, more frequent, and more problematic cannabis use among youth and young adults. Increased proximity and marketing normalize cannabis use, reduce perceived harm, and enhance access. Policies banning storefronts or implementing strict zoning correlate with lower youth usage.
“Medical Marijuana” is 10% THC or less. If Fairfax truly believes in the need for “medical marijuana” in their town, I urge them to require products to be 10% THC or lower.
Here is Fairfax’ current Local Cannabis Policy Report Card, from Getting it Right from the Start:
https://www.gettingitrightfromthestart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Fairfax2025.pdf Of note, under product limits and marketing, there are many recommendations to help protect youth from the cannabis “kid’s menu”.
Getting it Right from the Start, under Berkeley’s Public Health Institute, offers science-based recommendations for this and other cannabis regulation best practices at https://www.phi.org/thoughtleadership/resources-principles-for-cannabis-regulation/ I urge the Fairfax Town Council to remember the health and livelihood of our young adults when repealing existing sections of the Fairfax Town Code for cannabis businesses.
Sincerely yours,
Michelle Leopold
Mom to Trevor (forever 18) and Parker (23)
Co-Founder, Marin Residents for Public Health Cannabis Policies 25 year Marin County resident
Marin Small Business Owner (Marin Ace San Rafael)
C 415.302.4055
Outlook
Marijuana Retailing on Bolinas Road
From Peter Lydon <[email protected]>
Date Sun 2/1/2026 1:11 PM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Cc Ray Bakowski <[email protected]>; Stephanie Mohan <[email protected]>; Rachael Breeze <[email protected]>; jeff Palladini <[email protected]> Note to the Town Council of Fairfax
Dear Town Council Members,
We are the owners of the shops at #48 through #52 on Bolinas Road, which were inherited from the historic builder and owner of them, Harry Fong.
We understand that there is an application to retail marijuana and marijuana products in our immediate neighborhood on Bolinas Road.
We oppose this use in this location.
Mr. Ray Bakowski, a tenant in two locations in our building, has also raised objections to this use in the immediate neighborhood. We would like to support Mr. Bakowski's position, and to say that he has our proxy to represent our thinking on this subject by speaking in any town meetings dealing with this issue.
With thanks for your conducting public consultations on this matter, and best regards, Norma Fong Lydon and Peter Lydon
for Bolinas Road, Fairfax, California
[email protected]
Outlook
California’s Cannabis Dispensary Zoning Law prohibits dispensary at 61 Bolinas From Anderson, Stacey <[email protected]>
Date Sat 1/31/2026 6:23 AM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Dear Town Council,
I remind the Council that California’s Cannabis Dispensary Zoning Law prohibits dispensaries within 600 feet of a school. 61 Bolinas is 492 feet from First Friends Preschool on Mono Ave and is prohibited by law as a site for a marijuana dispensary.
Thank you,
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Stacey J. Anderson, PhD
Social and Behavioral Sciences
University of California, San Francisco
February 2, 2026
Dear members of the Fairfax Town Council,
On behalf of the Marin Youth Advocacy Committee (YAC), thank you for prioritizing youth health and well-being in this week’s meeting. Your willingness to consider the impact of tobacco retail policies means so much to us and we appreciate everything done to ensure a safe environment.
As you prepare for your second vote on the tobacco retail policies, we want to express our utmost gratitude for your continued commitment to protecting youth. These decisions have the power to continue to have a real and long lasting impact in Fairfax and the county of Marin.
Thank you again for your time and dedication to the well being of your community.
Sincerely,
YAC